Drawer slide assembly

ABSTRACT

A slide and guide assembly for a drawer made up of two elongated nestable metal members, the metal members being channel shaped and equipped with interfering detents to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the two members, but wherein the members are so constructed and arranged that the interference may be overcome for intentional removal of the drawer from its associated supporting structure.

United States Patent Gutner [4 1 Mar. 21, 1972 [54] DRAWER SLIDE ASSEMBLY 3,328,107 6/1967 Gutner ..308/3.6 I 2,698,214 12/1954 Skamser ..3l2/347 [72] Inventor. Kenneth H. Gutner, 3285 Dato, H1ghland 937,731 10/1909 wiedeman" M30836 Park 6035 3,363,960 l/l968 Reiss ..312/347 [22] Filed: May 28, 1970 Primary ExaminerEdgar W. Geoghegan PP ,190 Assistant Examiner-Ronald H. Lazarus Att0rneyDawson, Tilton, Fallon and Lungmus [52] US. Cl .Q ..308/3.6, 312/347, 312/348 [51] Int. Cl. ..Fl6c 29/00 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search ..308/3.6, 3.8; 312/338, 332, A de a d guide assembly for a drawer made up of two elon- 312/348, 346, 345, 341 NR, 342, 349 gated nestable metal members, the metal members being channel shaped and equipped with interfering detents to [56] References Cited prevent inadvertent disengagement of the two members, but 1 wherein the members are so constructed and arranged that the UNITED STATES PATENTS interference may be overcome for intentional removal of the drawer from its associated supporting structure. 3,033,639 5/1962 Emery ..312/348 3,365,261 1/1968 Gutner ..312/347 4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 3| l T w v- Patented March 21, 1972 3,650,577

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN'IOR: KENNETH H. GUTNER ATT'YS Patented March 21, 1972 3,650,577

2 Sheets-$heot 2 INVENI'OR: KENNETH H. GUTNER ATT'YS DRAWER SLIDE ASSEMBLY This invention is related to my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 3,328, l 07 which shows the feature of a metal slide.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION Heretofore, most inexpensive and rugged drawer slide and guide assemblies have made use of wood either in whole or in part. I have found that conversion to metal can not only result in a stronger assembly and one capable of better guiding, but one in which certain stop features are advantageously incorporatable in a fashion not realizable in the prior art.

The invention is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drawer equipped with an inventive slide;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the drawer slide of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the nested slide and guide members wherein the cooperating detents of the two members are in engagement to limit further withdrawal of the drawer equipped with the slide member;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the detent portion of the slide member in a position wherein it has overridden the detent portion of the guide member, i.e., wherein the drawer can now be completely withdrawn from the associated dresser;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the guide member;

FIG. 6 isan enlarged sectional view taken along the line 6- 6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective bottom view of the slide featuring certain novel reenforcing ribs;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are plan views of the slide member, but in different stages of installation;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view in fragmentary form of the assembled slide and guide member; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 1l11 ofFIG. 10.

In the illustration given, and with reference to FIG. 1, the numeral generally designates a drawer having a front panel 21 equipped with a conventional handle 22. The drawer is seen in inverted condition, and its base panel 23 is positioned uppermost. The drawer is equipped with a rear panel 24, and extending between the front panel 21 and therear panel 24 is a drawer slide member generally designated 25 (seen also in FIGS. 2 and 7 in perspective view). In FIG. 2, for example, the rear end of the slide member 25 is equipped with a vertically oriented tab 26 which is adapted to be secured to the rear panel 24. The extreme forward portion of the slide member 25 is equipped with a plurality of sharpened projections, as at 27 and 28, which achieve a biting engagement with the rearwardly facing lower portion 21a of the front panel 21. Additionally, I provide supplemental foreshortened projections 29 and 30 which bite into other portions of the panel 21 spaced from those engaged by the projections 27 and 28. Through this means I assure an integrated rugged connection between the slide member 25 and the drawer 20. Still further, I provide openings 29a and 30a through which a staple may be passed as an alternative or cumulative means for securing the slide member 25 to the drawer 20.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6 where the numeral 31 generally designates a guide member which is intended to cooperate in guiding a drawer, such as 20, when the same is moved relative to a supporting structure, such as a dresser (not shown). The type of engagement between the guide member 31 and the slide member 25 can be seen in FIG. 11. There it will be noted that each of the members 25 and 31 is generally channel-shaped in cross section. The sides of the channel-shaped guide member 31 are equipped with lateral wings or flanges, as at 32, which extend longitudinally and are folded on themselves to avoid the provision of any sharp corners, and also lend great strength to the assembly. In analogous fashion the slide member 25 is equipped with longitudinally extending, laterally projecting wings or flanges, as

at 33, which are also rounded or folded on themselves to develop ways 33a receiving the flanges 32.

For the installation of the guide member 31, I prefer to employ the arrangement depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9. Initially, the guide member 31 is attached to a supporting structure (not shown)-such as a dresserby means of inserting wood screws as at 34 and 35 in transversely elongated slots 36. The screws 34 and 35 are not completely tightened, so that it is possible then to vary the alignment longitudinally of the guide member 31 over a range R (see FIG. 81). Thereafter, additional wood screws, as at 37, are placed in longitudinally elongated slots 38 to immobilize the guide in a properly aligned position, particularly relative to a given position of the drawer slide member 25. For example, the screws 34 and 35 can determine an approximate position of the guide member 31 which can be finalized by tightening these screws after a trial insertion of the drawer. The final position of the guide member 31 is stabilized by the use of the screws 37 in slots 38.

Referring again to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the flanges 33 of the slide member 25 are equipped with detent means in the nature of projections as at 39 and 40. These are located near the rear of the drawer 20, and are provided as laterally inward extensions of the flanges 33 (see, for example, FIG. 11). To prevent the drawer from being completely withdrawn, the guide member 31 is equipped with detent means 41 and 42 which are located near the front of the dresser, and are developed by upsetting portions of the side as can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 5, 10, and 11.

In FIG. 3 the slide member 25 has been moved to the right relative to the stationary guide member 31. The rear of the drawer is positioned adjacent the tab portion 26, while the most forward end of the guide member 31 is adjacent the longitudinally extending slot 38. Thus, the detent means 39 on the slide member 25 has just come into engagement with the detent means 41 on the guide member 31. In like fashion, the detent means 40 and 42 on the slide and guide members 25 and 31, respectively, have also come into engagement. Thus, the outward movement of the drawer is limited, and there is no inadvertent extraction of the drawer from its supporting structure.

When, however, it is desired to remove the drawer, a quick jerk on the drawer causes the interfering engagement between the various pairs of detent means to be overcome to produce the configuration illustrated in FIG. 4. There we see that the detent means 39 has passed over the detent means 41, as also has the detent means 40 relative to the guide member detent means 42. In this fashion, the drawer may be removed. The detent means in each member are laterally offset, i.e., not aligned in a given transverse plane. Thus only one wall is stressed at a given point when it is slightly sprung to permit the detent means of the slide member (as at 39) to pass over the detent means of the guide member (as at 41). Most of the deformation is taken in the slide member 25 because the guide member detent means is substantial in size (see the element 42 in FIG. 5) and a substantial part of the sidewall 42a, while the mating detent means 40 is a projection substantially removed from the cross wall 25a. Engagement of the detent means under these circumstances tends to flex the sidewall 400 (see FIG. 7).

Provided along the length of each of the members 25 and 31 are in the area of the detent means are a plurality of longitudinally spaced ribs. These are seen at 43 (FIG. 6) relative to the guide member 31. These are indicated at 44 relative to the slide member 25 (see FIG. 7). The ribs serve to secure the various channel members from undue distortion in the areas adjacent the detent so that a cycle of upsetting does not result in undue deformation or distortion of the cross-sectional configuration.

Further tending to stabilize the guide member 31 are the securing screws 35-38 (already mentioned). In like fashion, the prongs or projections 27-30 also tend to immobilize and anchor (in combination with the tab 26) against any possibility of displacement attendant on the deformation resulting from upsetting the detent means in order to achieve removal of the drawer from a dresser bureau, or other supporting structure.

When the drawer has been removed, reintroduction is facilitated by the curved forward end portion 45 (see FIG. 5) on the flanges 32 of the guide member 31. The provision of this arrangement for reintroducing the drawer again contributes to the stability of the various parts against undesired dislodgement or shifting which could interfere with the successful subsequent operation of the drawer. This also reduces undesirable noise. Thus, by virtue of a number of coacting elements, l have developed a uniquely satisfactory substitute for the heretofore employed wood guide means for dresser drawers.

lclaim:

l. A drawer slide and guide assembly comprising a pair of elongated, nestable metal members, one of said members being attachable to the under side of the drawer for sliding movement therewith while the other of said members is attachable to a drawer-receiving structure, such as a dresser, for guiding the sliding movement of said one member, each of said members being channel-shaped and being equipped with longitudinally extending, laterally projecting wing means, the wing means of the sliding member being equipped with laterally inwardly extending projections laterally offset and constituting detent means, the walls of the guiding member being laterally outwardly upset to provide detent means cooperative with the detent means of said sliding member, the guiding member detent means also being laterally offset, each of said members being equipped with reenforcing rib means adjacent the detent means to limit wall flexure when the detent means are in engagement, the detent means of said sliding member being adjacent the rear end thereof while the detent means of said guiding member are adjacent the forward end thereof whereby the detent means are cooperative to prevent inadvertent removal of said drawer from said structure, the material of construction being sufficiently deformable to permit wall flexure whereby one set of detent means can pass over the other set of detent means and permit intentional removal of said drawer from said structure.

2. A drawer slide and guide assembly comprising a pair of elongated, nestable metal members, one of said members being attachable to the underside of the drawer for sliding movement therewith while the other of said members is attachable to a drawer-receiving structure, such as a dresser, for guiding the sliding movement of said one member, each of said members being channel-shaped and being equipped with longitudinally extending, laterally projecting wing means, the wing means of the sliding member being equipped with laterally inwardly extending projections constituting detent means, the walls of the guiding member being laterally outwardly upset to provide detent means cooperative with the detent means of said sliding member, the detent means of said sliding member being adjacent the rear end thereof while the detent means of said guiding member are adjacent the forward end thereof whereby the detent means are cooperative to prevent inadvertent removal of said drawer from said structure, the material of construction being sufficiently deformable to permit wall flexure whereby one set of detent means can pass over the other set of detent means and permit intentional removal of said drawer from said structure.

3. A drawer slide and guide assembly comprising a pair of elongated, nestable metal members, one of said members being attachable to the under side of the drawer for sliding movement therewith while the other of said members is attachable to a drawer-receiving structure, such as a dresser, for guiding the sliding movement of said one member, each of said members being channel-shaped and being equipped with longitudinally extending laterally projecting wing means, the wing means of the sliding member being equipped with laterally inwardly extending projections constituting detent means, the walls of the uiding member being laterall outwardly upset to provide etent means cooperative with t e detent means of said sliding member, each of said members being equipped with reenforcing rib means adjacent the detent means to limit wall flexure when the detent means are in engagement, the detent means of said sliding member being adjacent the rear end thereof while the detent means of said guiding member are adjacent the forward end thereof whereby the detent means are cooperative to prevent inadvertent removal of said drawer from said structure, the material of construction being sufficiently deformable to permit wall flexure whereby one set of detent means can pass over the other set of detent means and permit intentional removal of said drawer from said structure.

4. A drawer slide and guide assembly comprising a pair of elongated, nestable metal members, one of said members being attachable to the underside of the drawer for sliding movement therewith while the other of said members is attachable to a drawer-receiving structure, such as a dresser, for guiding the sliding movement of said one member, each of said members being channel-shaped and being equipped with longitudinally extending, laterally projecting wing means, the wing means of the sliding member being equipped with laterally inwardly extending projections laterally offset and constituting detent means, the walls of the guiding member being laterally outwardly upset to provide detent means cooperative with the detent means of said sliding member, the guiding member detent means also being laterally offset, the detent means of said sliding member being adjacent the rear end thereof while the detent means of said guiding member are adjacent the forward end thereof whereby the detent means are cooperative to prevent inadvertent removal of said drawer from said structure, the material of construction being sufficiently deformable to permit wall flexure whereby one set of detent means can pass over the other set of detent means and permit intentional removal of said drawer from said structure. 

1. A drawer slide and guide assembly comprising a pair of elongated, nestable metal members, one of said members being attachable to the under side of the drawer for sliding movement therewith while the other of said members is attachable to a drawer-receiving structure, such as a dresser, for guiding the sliding movement of said one member, each of said members being channel-shaped and being equipped with longitudinally extending, laterally projecting wing means, the wing means of the sliding member being equipped with laterally inwardly extending projections laterally offset and constituting detent means, the walls of the guiding member being laterally outwardly upset to provide detent means cooperative with the detent means of said sliding member, the guiding member detent means also being laterally offset, each of said members being equipped with reenforcing rib means adjacent the detent means to limit wall flexure when the detent means are in engagement, the detent means of said sliding member being adjacent the rear end thereof while the detent means of said guiding member are adjacent the forward end thereof whereby the detent means are cooperative to prevent inadvertent removal of said drawer from said structure, the material of construction being sufficiently deformable to permit wall flexure whereby one set of detent means can pass over the other set of detent means and permit intentional removal of said drawer from said structure.
 2. A drawer slide and guide assembly comprising a pair of elongated, nestable metal members, one of said members being attachable to the underside of the drawer for sliding movement therewith while the other of said members is attachable to a drawer-receiving structure, such as a dresser, for guiding the sliding movement of said one member, each of said members being channel-shaped and being equipped with longitudinally extending, laterally projecting wing means, the wing means of the sliding member being equipped with laterally inwardly exTending projections constituting detent means, the walls of the guiding member being laterally outwardly upset to provide detent means cooperative with the detent means of said sliding member, the detent means of said sliding member being adjacent the rear end thereof while the detent means of said guiding member are adjacent the forward end thereof whereby the detent means are cooperative to prevent inadvertent removal of said drawer from said structure, the material of construction being sufficiently deformable to permit wall flexure whereby one set of detent means can pass over the other set of detent means and permit intentional removal of said drawer from said structure.
 3. A drawer slide and guide assembly comprising a pair of elongated, nestable metal members, one of said members being attachable to the under side of the drawer for sliding movement therewith while the other of said members is attachable to a drawer-receiving structure, such as a dresser, for guiding the sliding movement of said one member, each of said members being channel-shaped and being equipped with longitudinally extending laterally projecting wing means, the wing means of the sliding member being equipped with laterally inwardly extending projections constituting detent means, the walls of the guiding member being laterally outwardly upset to provide detent means cooperative with the detent means of said sliding member, each of said members being equipped with reenforcing rib means adjacent the detent means to limit wall flexure when the detent means are in engagement, the detent means of said sliding member being adjacent the rear end thereof while the detent means of said guiding member are adjacent the forward end thereof whereby the detent means are cooperative to prevent inadvertent removal of said drawer from said structure, the material of construction being sufficiently deformable to permit wall flexure whereby one set of detent means can pass over the other set of detent means and permit intentional removal of said drawer from said structure.
 4. A drawer slide and guide assembly comprising a pair of elongated, nestable metal members, one of said members being attachable to the underside of the drawer for sliding movement therewith while the other of said members is attachable to a drawer-receiving structure, such as a dresser, for guiding the sliding movement of said one member, each of said members being channel-shaped and being equipped with longitudinally extending, laterally projecting wing means, the wing means of the sliding member being equipped with laterally inwardly extending projections laterally offset and constituting detent means, the walls of the guiding member being laterally outwardly upset to provide detent means cooperative with the detent means of said sliding member, the guiding member detent means also being laterally offset, the detent means of said sliding member being adjacent the rear end thereof while the detent means of said guiding member are adjacent the forward end thereof whereby the detent means are cooperative to prevent inadvertent removal of said drawer from said structure, the material of construction being sufficiently deformable to permit wall flexure whereby one set of detent means can pass over the other set of detent means and permit intentional removal of said drawer from said structure. 